Sunday, March 30, 2008

Sorry about the lack of posts - I have been on the other side of the state visiting my daughter, SIL, grandson, sister, niece and nephew. Got home about an hour ago and hope to start sewing soon so I will have something to post soon maybe!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Here is the picture I promised of the auction quilt. I did some research and found that the pattern is called Road to Jericho. This isn't as good a picture as I would have liked but my batteries died in the camera so I couldn't check and retake last night. I quilted it with variegated thread between the blocks and also diagonally (in relation to the squares, not the quilt top itself) through the black squares. Then along the stripes of the borders. I really like the scrappy border and binding on this quilt.

I am nearly done with the Spring Fling Round Robin block and just have the label to put on this so it can go in the mail to my Spring - Four Seasons Quilt Swap partner. I hope to get them both in the mail tomorrow as we head out of town to visit our daughter, son-in-law and grandson for the weekend. I will also get to see my sister and her youngest daughter (and maybe her youngest son) and also my brother's daughter who is in college near there.

I am signed up for Round III of the Doll Quilt Swap so I need to start thinking about what I want to do for that one. I have some thoughts but nothing concrete yet!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

I did get some things finished yesterday. The auction quilt is done but for a label and a picture taken tonight on Sally's design wall. The two wine quilts have their grape vines - I will share a picture tomorrow and I got started on my Spring Fling borders. As you can see I chose to set Solidia's center block on point by adding white triangles. I used her yellow to add some applique tulips along with my green, which will be what gets sent along with this when completed to someone, somewhere on this planet. I have two tulips finished and hope to get the other two done in the next day or so. I am pleased with it so far though it was a struggle to figure out what to add.

Monday, March 24, 2008

I have several projects going right now. Most of them just need a little bit more done. The big auction quilt just needs three lines of quilting. The wine bottle quiltlets need their grape vines and ribbons. The little froggy quilt needs some way to be hung also. I got a center square for the Spring Fling Round Robin in the mail so I need to do some borders. And last, but not least, one of these two quilts will get a label for my Four Seasons Quilt Swap recipient. My problem here is deciding which one goes to her. I won't be mailing it for a few days so I can make my decision and so I can take it over for craft night tomorrow. Hopefully, my friends here and there will help me with my decision.

My goal today is to finish the quilting on the auction quilt, get the grape vines and ribbons on the quiltlets and getting the label made for whichever one of these I decide to mail.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

I have been slowly getting my auction quilt quilted and bound. I got the binding on but will have to do some more quilting once I get more thread tomorrow. I think I have 4 more lines across the quilt to do. It is turning out nicely. My back and legs are tired from standing and woman-handling the quilt into submission so I look forward to doing the hand-sewing on the binding tonight! Yesterday I got the bindings finished on my two wine bottle/glass wall-hangings. Once the big quilt is done I will get the ribbons on and tie on the grape vines. One of these quilts will be for the same auction as the big quilt.

Even with a tired back it is a good feeling to be getting some projects to the finished tally!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Well, it isn't quite done but the major part is done. Today I really wanted to get all the rows together on this quilt top. Now it will be put away so I can get some other things finished that have some deadlines. I still will add gold around the outside and then a border of a blue bicycle fabric that I have to acknowledge my daughter's trip across the souther tier of the US last year. This quilt is made from t-shirts that have been collecting since she was just 2 or 3 and through college. It is technically her college graduation quilt and though she only has an extra long twin bed now this one is obviously king sized.

So I only have one more of these t-shirts quilts to make for my son and then I will be able to get rid of a box out of the attic. I don't think he is quite ready for his yet though. Maybe college graduation like this one or after he is married - who knows.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Time in the sewing room has been limited the last few days. Just too busy with other things and spring is coming so there are outside things that need to be taken care of too.

I have gotten a couple more rows done on the t-shirt quilt including the one with the most little pieces. I would love to get those row finished up this week and get the top all together so I can move on to other things that have pressing deadlines like my spring offering for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap, two auction quilts, another wine bottle quiltlet for an auction, etc.

Yesterday I got one of our apple trees pruned (the smallest of 5 that I prune). Today it is raining so I can stay inside with impunity!

Another item on my plate is our area's Relay for Life which is held at the end of May. I am a co-captain for our team and we are in the midst of a number of fund-raisers. If you haven't heard of Relay for Life before, it is a fund-raising event for the American Cancer Society. These events are held all around the country. Ours is at the local high school track from 6 pm Friday, May 30 to 1 pm Saturday, May 31. During this time there is at least one person from each team walking/jogging/running around the track. The first lap is the Survivor Lap and is walked by cancer survivors being cheered on by everyone else. Also on Friday night there is Ceremony of Hope where luminaries are lit to commemorate both loved ones who have lost their battle with cancer and survivors. If you would like to support me in this endeavor just comment and I will get more information to you.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

So my friend Karen turns 40 in a couple of days and Lori and I are taking her out tomorrow evening to celebrate. In my semi-stupor yesterday I realized I needed to find the perfect gift for her. I just couldn't think of something to buy so I made this quiltlet for my drinking buddy. All the fabric I had on hand and I even used real grape vines for the hanger.

My stupor yesterday was the result of getting up at 3:30 am to get Rebecca to the airport by 5. Instead of coming home I went to the church and finished getting the bulletin run off. I volunteered to do that since the secretary is in Alaska for the birth of her granddaughter. I also hauled the handbells, tables and pads upstairs since we are playing tomorrow at worship. Then I mailed Rebecca's last box of stuff to her and had lunch with a friend who works in the office at the elementary school. I came home and tried to take a nap but it didn't really work and then the boy gave me a ride into town for a much needed haircut.

Yesterday evening I wasn't good for much though I did get the glass for the above quiltlet put together. We watched a couple of episodes of JAG on DVD and then went to bed. As tired as I was, I had quite a bit of trouble getting to sleep so I am still somewhat tired today.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Here is my little Froggy quiltlet. The background was made from the leftover ends of the mitered borders of the auction quilt I am working on. I thought it made a nice little frame and I made the paper pieced frog to cover the hole in the middle. It is about 13.25" X 14.5". I may put it in the auction also but haven't decided yet. It would also make a good gift for a child so we shall see.

I think I will so something like this from the leftovers from the wedding quilt borders also though that might be a bit bigger. Unfortunately, I accidently sent those with my daughter last week so I won't have them until I see them again.

Talked briefly to my other daughter yesterday. She is in Oregon so I am having her pick up a roll of 124" Warm and Natural batting from Fabric Depot. I called and paid for it so she just has to pick it up. Ya gotta love wholesale and no sales tax! The roll of 90" that I bought last year is nearly gone and I have several large quilts that need finishing this spring!

Monday, March 3, 2008

After a slow start this morning I did manage to get some things accomplished. First, I quilted and put the binding on a quiltlet that I threw together yesterday from some leftovers and a paper pieced frog. Next, I put together a back for my auction quilt. And finally, I got the first of 8 rows together on my daughter's t-shirt quilt. Each row is about 100 inches long but of varying heights. This one is 12" high and is probably the second most difficult to put together as it had quite a few smaller pieces. The bottom row will be the worst with lots of little pieces.

Now it is time to sit back and put my feet up and get that binding finished off. Tomorrow I might get another row done and I will be able to post a picture of my frog quiltlet.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

I got the borders on the first charity auction quilt for this year. I pieced the middle border out of various scraps and I think it worked out well. I need to get the quilting done on this so I can cross it off my list! I am thinking I am going to make a little quilt out of the leftovers from the mitered borders. I will need to make an interesting center piece for it. Maybe that will happen tomorrow.

Yesterday I got the center block for the Spring Fling Round Robin done and have it ready to mail on Monday. The basket is made out of the batik I bought for my daughter this week to make a three-tiered skirt and the flower is the fabric I bought for between the t-shirt pieces in her t-shirt quilt. When we were buying them I noticed how well they went together.

Now I think I will go do some work on the planning of the t-shirt quilt.